City honors Kurt Cobain with bizarre crying statue

By Tony Hicks, Contra Costa Times

Posted:
02/24/2014 08:53:29 AM MST

Artist Randi Hubbard and Aberdeen Mayor Bill Simpson unveil a statue of Kurt Cobain during the first annual Kurt Cobain Day on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, in Aberdeen, Wash. The town formally recognized Cobain with a new statue and exhibit at the Aberdeen Museum of History. (Joshua Trujillo/AP/seattlepi.com)

Kurt Cobain's hometown of Aberdeen, Wash., unveiled a bizarre statue of the late Nirvana frontman crying on Thursday.

It must have been modeled on his reaction upon waking up and realizing he was married to Courtney Love.

Thursday was Kurt Cobain Day in Aberdeen, according to RollingStone.com, which reported festivities turned awkward with the unveiling of the statue in the town's museum, featuring Cobain shedding a solitary tear.

The website reported that Nirvana fans reacted with a mixture of shock, confusion and uncontrollable giggling.

Aberdeen Mayor Bill Simpson told USA Today, “We have been remiss for a long time of not honoring him.” He also said he supported the event, but that it was a controversial decision because of Cobain's expressed disdain for the town and arrest for vandalism there.

“We hope this is just as big as Graceland eventually,” he said.

Seattle's KOMO News said sculptor Randi Hubbard began work on the sculpture shortly after Cobain's death in 1994. Crying Kurt remained in her auto shop, Hubb's Muffler Shop — which Cobain's grandfather reportedly visited frequently to watch its construction — for two decades. Hubbard offered it to the city, which refused it. It eventually made its way into the Aberdeen Museum of History. The report said nearly 5,000 people visit the museum annually, a number museum officials expect to double with the addition of the statue.

The celebration also featured a 30-minute set by local rock band Gebular, along with appearances from Aaron Burckhard (an early drummer for Nirvana) and Warren Mason, a guitar teacher from Cobain's youth.

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Apparently not realizing Aberdeen isn't exactly Paris, local news station King 5 mocked the tribute. Reporter Dennis Bounds reportedly referred to Cobain as “the well-known heroin addict who shot himself 20 years ago” and also that Cobain was “not exactly George Washington.”

Right. George Washington couldn't write a song to save his life.

Nirvana will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10. No word on when Dennis Bounds will get inducted into the local news guy hall of fame.

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